Oh, The Horror!

photo by jayla jones

Oh, The Horror! 

third-year chris farrar

It’s that time of year again. The leaves are changing, the air is crisp and cool, the days are slowly getting shorter, and there's a distant sound of… screams? And why is John Carpenter music playing? Ah, the familiar serenity of the spooky season. And the major staple of the fall season is Halloween, and the accompanying horror films that end up in theaters, television, and streaming. This year alone, I’ve seen three separate horror films dominate the conversation space both in my social life and on the internet: Barbarian, Smile, and the upcoming Halloween Ends. Films which I myself can’t wait to see with the whole family. Since I was a kid, my parents have shared the horror genre with me, and each film has offered me the chance to reflect on where I was at that point in my life. From Nickelodeon’s Are You Afraid of the Dark? to the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, I’ve had an education in horror courtesy of my own family, and I have cherished that! 

When I was younger, my parents were eager to start my horror education, but understood that introducing a child to Jason Voorhees and Freddy Krueger might not be the best choice. So instead, they started small. They gave me something I could handle. TV shows like Are You Afraid of the Dark? and Goosebumps introduced me to the concept of being spooked by the wonderful world of ghosts and ghouls. These shows took risks, and despite being aimed at a younger audience, did not insult their younger demographic. There was genuinely upsetting content, but they told cautionary tales. Moral stories about being kind, selfless, and accepting of others, lest the monster in the closet claim the unruly child. Stories like this are as old as time, stories told to children to make them behave, and my parents capitalized on these stories being on Nickelodeon. Not only could I learn the joys of being terrified, but I could get a moral lesson as well! There was no truly graphic content either, most of the characters were fine by the end, and the lesson well learned. Still, it was an excellent introduction to the horror genre, and prepared me for the more intense films of my later years. 

By the time I was in middle school, I had matured a bit. Not much, but a bit. And as such, I was able to handle more of the classic horror films. Films like Dracula and Frankenstein, from the old black and white era, with classic monsters, and the slashers like Halloween. Finally, I was introduced to Jason Voorhees of the Friday the 13th franchise. Granted, I was shown the TV broadcast versions, so my middle school self was still being protected to some extent. But at that point in my life my parents knew I was able to handle more, I was capable of watching these films, appreciating the filmmaking behind them, being entertained by them, and going to sleep without issue afterwards. I continued my horror education in high school, with films like Scream, the rest of the Halloween franchise, and the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Being a teenager in high school, at a very formative time in my life, I was able to somewhat relate to the characters within these horror films. Granted, I have not survived a masked killer roaming the town. Regardless, I was still able to take away some moral lessons from these films, but by this time I was more interested in the entertainment value and the special effects behind the gore as opposed to finding a life altering moral. 

Horror is a staple of the fall season, and being able to share this element of the season with my family has been a joy. Even now, we are making plans to see the newest Halloween film, and my girlfriend has begun her education into horror with the Scream films. Even for people who don’t enjoy getting scared normally throughout the year, the appeal exists during the month of October to find something scary to watch, and it’s a form of entertainment that brings us all together. I’d strongly encourage anyone who has been opposed to horror films to give them a shot this October. Start small, start kiddy if you want to, or get together with some friends and appreciate the artistry of Studio A24’s latest elevated horror flicks, or the hilarity of old 80s B movies, or modern horror/comedies. There’s an element of appeal for everyone, and horror remains one of the most inclusive genres in film, so there’s no time like the present to start your own horror education. It’s what college is for, after all!